Burlington County Prosecutor Scott Coffina and Burlington Township Public Safety Director Bruce Painter announced that a 21-year-old Burlington Township man has been charged with possessing child sexual abuse material.
James Hunt, of the first block of Threadleaf Terrace, was charged with three counts of Endangering the Welfare of a Child (two Second Degree and one Third Degree).
He was taken into custody at his home on February 24 and released following a hearing in Superior Court in Mount Holly. The case will now be prepared for presentation to a Burlington County Grand Jury for possible indictment.
The investigation began last year after the BCPO High-Tech Crimes Unit received information regarding Hunt’s online activities from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
The investigation revealed that Hunt was uploading videos containing child sexual abuse material. Multiple electronic devices were seized from his residence during the execution of a search warrant and will be examined by detectives from the BCPO High-Tech Crimes Unit.
Hunt is one of multiple defendants arrested recently by the BCPO High-Tech Crimes Unit for possessing and distributing child sexual assault material, among other more serious offenses. As part of Operation Safe Quarantine, 25 individuals were charged during an eight-month period ending last month.
Hunt will be prosecuted by Assistant Prosecutor Jennifer Weiler. The investigation was conducted by the BCPO High-Tech Crimes Unit, with assistance from United States Homeland Security Investigations – Cherry Hill Office, the Burlington Township Police Department and the Cinnaminson Township Police Department. The lead investigator was BCPO Detective Sergeant Dave Kohler.
The Prosecutor’s Office High-Tech Crimes Unit, HSI – Cherry Hill, and the Cinnaminson Township Police Department are members of the New Jersey State Police Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force. The BCPO also belongs to the New Jersey State Police Cyber Terrorism Task Force.
All persons are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.